From DE-OS 37 39 704 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,894), a generic type of adjustable attachment of a ball-and-socket joint at a tie rod for steering linkages of motor vehicles is known, wherein the ball-and-socket joint has a ball pin which is arranged inside a universal joint housing and is movable in all directions about a central axis and the central axis can be displaced with respect to the tie rod by adjusting the ball-and-socket joint. Furthermore, the ball-and-socket joint has a bracket which has a bearing bore which is arranged eccentrically to the central axis of the movements of the ball pin. The bracket with its bearing bore is pivotably arranged at a tie rod-rigid attachment element. For the purpose of fastening the ball-and-socket joint in a certain swivel position, the tie rod has a screwed connection which is in the form of a locking element.
In order to adjust the attachment of the ball-and-socket joint, this screwed connection must be loosened. Following the loosening of the screwed connection, a tool is pushed between the bracket and a connecting cross-piece of the tie rod, so that a worm gear, arranged in the lower area of the tool, engages a toothing which is laterally arranged at the bracket. By turning the tool, the bracket may be pivoted about the tie rod-rigid attachment element. After the desired pivot angle has been set, the screwed connection is tightened for the fastening of the ball-and-socket joint in a certain swivel position and the tool is removed.
A disadvantages of this adjustable attachment of a ball-and-socket joint at a tie rod lies in that the adjustment is vary labor-intensive. Furthermore, the fastening of the ball-and-socket joint in a certain swivel position through the screwed connection takes place only in a force-locking manner, so that during operation of the vehicle an unintended shift of the alignment may occur. Also, this adjustable attachment has the disadvantage that for the adjustment a special tool is required.